Smith & Smith Law Office LLC

About Us

Established in 1999, the Smith & Smith Law Office combines expertise in many areas of law with caring, individualized attorneys who help each client through a particularly difficult period of life.

The Smith & Smith Law Office lawyers practice primarily in family law legal services including divorce, dissolution, and custody as well as criminal defense, probate, estate planning, and mediation services.

We have offices in Swanton and Maumee Ohio, and we serve the Greater Toledo area including Lucas, Fulton, and Wood Counties.

AREAS OF PRACTICE

Areas of Practice

Family Law - Litigation

Divorce

Dissolution

Annulment

Adoption

Child Custody

Spousal Support

Pre and Post-Nuptial Agreements

Visitation Rights

Post-Divorce Motions/Final Order Changes

Dissolution Document Review

Areas of Practice

Criminal Law

Misdemeanor

Felony

DUI

Traffic Offenses

Trucker Traffic Rights

Areas of Practice

Probate

Estate Planning

Wills

Trusts

Estate Administration

Areas of Practice

Collaborative Law

Collaborative Law is a “Sensible alternative to [family law] litigation [that] creates more livable futures for couples and their children, usually at one-half to two-thirds the cost.”

- The Center for Principled Family Advocacy

FACING DIVORCE?

You probably assume a long and painful court process is your only option. It doesn’t have to be that way.

There is a better alternative to costly litigation and hostile family interactions. You can choose a guided, controlled court-approved method for ending your marriage and settling custody issues at a fraction of the cost of litigation.

THE ALTERNATIVE IS COLLABORATIVE LAW.

Through Collaborative Law, you and your spouse work together for a common goal - a livable life for you and your newly separated family.

In this alternate dispute resolution, you and your spouse use cooperation, understanding, and mutual respect to discover the best formula to ending your marriage.

With the guidance of a collaborative trained attorney, this hands-on process makes it easier to overcome negative feelings from your marriage, and you can do the right thing for you and your children.

Areas of Practice

Mediation

Looming separation is often accompanied by anger, resentment, sadness, and fear. These feelings not only make divorce confusing, but can result in expensive attorneys, fines and costs.

If you and your spouse want to avoid this costly and scary situation, consider mediation.

WHAT IS MEDIATION?

Mediation is a process in which disputing parties meet with a specially-trained, neutral third-party to discuss and resolve family law related issues.

Mediation is a good fit for any family law matter:

divorce

dissolution

post-divorce

custody

father’s parenting rights

grandparent rights

child support

...and others

Mediation is less stressful and less expensive than litigation resulting in less emotional and financial impact on each other and your children.

Parties have final say over everything in mediation, not a Judge or Magistrate, so couples maintain power and control over their divorce. This process builds communication and co-parenting skills.

Our Team

Our attorneys have over 40 years experience in criminal prosecution, criminal defense, and family law.

They are members of the Ohio Bar.

Christine M Smith

Christine M. Smith graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Akron and earned a Juris Doctorate from the University of Toledo School of Law.

She practices primarily in family and criminal law as well as family law mediation. She is a collaborative law trained family law attorney and mediator. Prior to her private practice, she worked as a prosecutor for the Villages of Swanton and Metamora.

Christine spent several years prior to law school working as a family law paralegal for her father, Gary L. Smith, so naturally, upon graduating, she joined forces with him to form the Smith & Smith Law Office, LLC.

She uses her compassion and dedication to support and lead her clients through very difficult and confusing times. Her respect for the profession and drive for justice are a successful combination for any client.

Gary L Smith

Gary L. Smith received his Law Degree from the University of Cincinnati in 1989 and has practiced law in Fulton County, Ohio ever since.

During his twenty years of practice, he has served as a municipal prosecuting attorney or assistant prosecuting attorney for Wauseon, Delta, Lyons, Metamora, and Swanton and an assistant county prosecutor for Fulton County.

On the same vein, Gary has worked in the criminal arena as a defense counsel, defending anything from minor misdemeanor traffic offenses to first degree felonies.

Gary has litigated hundreds of divorces and post-divorce actions, along with child custody and support matters in both the Common Pleas and Juvenile Courts.

As to non-litigation matters, Gary works with families in planning their estates, including wills, trusts, probate avoidance techniques, elderly law, and guardianships.

Gary is a member of the Ohio Bar Association, Fulton County Bar Association, and the Fulton County Law Library Committee.

CONTACT US TODAY

Smith & Smith Law Office LLC

DISCLAIMERS

THIS WEBSITE IS AN ADVERTISEMENT The Smith & Smith Law Office website is designed for general information only, and is NOT formal legal advice nor the formation of any attorney/client relationship. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation. The Smith & Smith Law Office invites you to contact us and welcomes your calls, letters and emails. However, contacting us does NOT create an attorney/client relationship. The Smith & Smith Law Office does not represent you until you sign a retainer letter, so please do not send confidential information to us without a formal statement of representation.

IRS CIRCULAR 230 DISCLOSURE To comply with requirements imposed by the IRS, we inform you that any tax advice contained herein, including attachments, is not intended or written to be used and cannot be used by a taxpayer to: Avoid tax penalties. Promote, market or recommend a transaction or matter to another person.

ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE & CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION We do want to hear from you by email. However, unless you are already a client of ours and have completed the engagement letter process, no attorney-client privilege exists and any information you email to us will not necessarily be treated as privileged and confidential. Always exercise discretion before sending sensitive or confidential information by email.